General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: This message was self-deleted by its author [View all]struggle4progress
(125,424 posts)that the issues can be brought before the courts
This presumption might be appropriately set aside for a limited period of time under certain circumstances
It would clearly be inappropriate to employ deadly force against (say) a person suspected only of littering or jaywalking -- although there seems to be good reason to believe deadly force is regularly and inappropriately employed in cases where there is little or no evidence of serious crime or threat
But deadly force might reasonably be employed to secure the capture of a non-cooperative person suspected deadly crimes, such as serial murder, when further mayhem seems a probable result of non-capture
I see no reason to ask police to value their own lives less than I value my own. I expect most are honest civil servants, working under very stressful circumstances. Although a certain fraction of the police seem to suffer from racism, sadism, or similar personality disorders, the proper reaction is to remove those officers from the profession, rather than to stereotype the entire group